The number of children on care and protection orders in
Australia has risen by 26% or more than 4,000 children over the
last four years, according to a new report released today by the
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW).
Child Protection Australia 2000-01 shows that 19,783
children were on care or protection orders in June 2001 compared
with 15,718 children in 1997.
The report also shows that the number of children placed with
relatives, or in foster or residential care has increased by nearly
30% over the same period.
Co-author of the report, Ms Helen Johnstone, said these figures
indicated that there were 'growing numbers of children whose
families are considered to be unable to provide adequate care or
protection for them'.
The report also shows that while child protection notifications
increased from 91,734 in 1995-96 to 115,471 in 2000-01 the overall
number of child protection substantiations fell from 29,833 to
27,367 over the same period.
'Much of the decline in substantiations is attributable to
changes that States and Territories have made to the way that they
deal with child protection matters,' Ms Johnstone said.
'Many States and Territories, for example, have introduced
options for dealing with some concerns about children through the
provision of family support services, rather than through the
formal child protection system.'
Overall, Indigenous children were over-represented in the child
protection system.
'The rate of Indigenous children on care and protection orders
was six times the rate for other Australian children,' Ms Johnstone
said.
4 April 2002
Further information: Ms Helen Johnstone, AIHW,
(02) 6244 1157 or 0418 295 409 (mobile).
For media copies of the report: Publications
Officer, AIHW, (02) 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications
Catalogue for details.